1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cooling devices from room air, and, more particularly, to cooling devices for room air which employ an electric fan to circulate room air around a cold material in order to cool the room air.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that warm room air can be cooled when the warm room air is circulated to a cool material so that heat exchange will cause the warm air to be cooled. In this respect, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to the use of electric fans to circulate warm room air to a cool material so that heat exchange will cause the warm air to be cooled, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,612,774, 4,751,827, 5,159,819, 5,685,165, and 6,401,483.
More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,774 discloses an ice cooled fan screen apparatus in which an ice-containing unit for an electric fan is placed in front of the fan. By placing the ice-containing unit in front of the fan, the pattern of air distribution from the fan is interfered with. To avoid this interference with air distribution from the fan, it would be desirable if a cooling fan apparatus were provided in which an ice-containing unit were located behind an electric fan. Furthermore, with this device, it appears that water from melted ice accumulates at the bottom of the ice-containing unit, and the entire ice-containing unit must be lifted up and tilted to spill the accumulated water out of the apparatus. Moreover, it appears that to empty the accumulated water out from the apparatus, either the ice-containing unit must first be separated from the fan in order to empty the water, or, without separating the ice-containing unit from the fan, then the combination of both the ice-containing unit and the fan must be lifted and tilted to spill the accumulated water out from the apparatus. To avoid the need for lifting up both an ice-containing unit and a fan in order to dispose of water accumulated from melting ice, it would be desirable if a container for water accumulated from melting ice could be easily separated from the fan unit so that the water can be easily disposed of.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,827 discloses a fan air cooler which includes a complex grid of spaced apart strips filled with a frozen fluid material. The grid is secured to the top edge of the fan housing. To avoid the effort and expense in creating and using such a complex grid of spaced apart strips filled a frozen fluid material, it would be desirable if a cooling fan apparatus were provided which does not employ a complex grid of spaced apart strips filled a frozen fluid material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,819 discloses a palm sized air conditioner in which water from melted ice accumulates at the bottom of the device, and the entire device must be lifted up and tilted to spill the accumulated water out of the apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,165 discloses a portable air conditioner system that is mounted in a typical ice chest. With this device, water from melted ice accumulates at the bottom of the device, and the entire device must be lifted up and tilted to spill the accumulated water out of the apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,483 discloses a portable air conditioner which is another device in which water from melted ice accumulates at the bottom of the device, and the entire device must be lifted up and tilted to spill the accumulated water out of the apparatus.
As stated above, for a cooling fan apparatus that employs ice and an electric fan, it would be desirable if a container were provided for accumulating water from melting ice, and it would be further desirable if the container could be easily separated from the fan unit so that the water can be easily disposed of.
Still other features would be desirable in a cooling fan apparatus. For example, with the prior art devices discussed above, the devices appear to be supported on a floor at a low height with respect to the floor. As a result, air that is cooled will tend to stay near the floor. This may not be desirable because cool air naturally sinks in warmer air. Thus, it would be preferable if means were provided for causing cooled air to be circulated at a higher height with respect to the floor to permit the cooled air to cool warm air at a height substantially distant from the floor level.
With a number of the prior art devices discussed above, the devices employ pieces of ice that are relatively small in size. More specifically, conventional ice cubes are often employed. However, than only using conventional ice cubes, it would be desirable at times to employ a relatively large single block of ice. In this respect, it would be desirable if a cooling fan apparatus were provided that can employ a relatively large single block of ice.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use devices for cooling room air with an electric fan and pieces of ice, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a cooling fan apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) has an ice-containing unit that is located behind an electric fan; (2) provides a container for water accumulated from melting ice that can be easily separated from the fan unit so that the water can be easily disposed of; (3) does not employ a complex grid of spaced apart strips filled a frozen fluid material; (4) causes cooled air to be circulated at a higher height with respect to the floor to permit the cooled air to cool warm air at a height substantially distant from the floor level; and (5) can employ a relatively large single block of ice as the cooling medium.
The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique cooling fan apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.